By Greg Robertson
ESPN Golf Online
Sunday, March 26

Details
When	Thursday-Sunday
Course	TPC at Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Par/Yardage	Par 72; 6,896 yards
Purse	$6 million (Winner: $1,080,000)
1999 champion	David Duval
Tournament record	24-under 264 (Greg Norman, 1994)
Television	Thursday-Friday: noon-6 p.m. (USA) Saturday: 2-6 p.m. ET (NBC) Sunday: 3-6:30 p.m. ET (NBC)

The tournament

	Hole by hole
	Hole	Par	Yards
	1	4	388
	2	5	526
	3	3	162
	4	4	384
	5	4	454
	6	4	381
	7	4	439
	8	3	215
	9	5	582
	Out	36	3531
	10	4	395
	11	5	529
	12	4	336
	13	3	172
	14	4	438
	15	4	426
	16	5	497
	17	3	132
	18	4	440
	In	36	3365
	Total	72	6896
	Key holes: The 17th is one of the most famous and difficult holes on the PGA Tour, a short par-3 with an island green loaded with trouble. You can almost see the nerves at work on the faces of the most seasoned players. Club selection and wind are key factors, and hole location plays a vital role in whether to play it safe. Prior to the 17th, the calm before the storm is at No. 16, a short par-5 loaded with trouble down the right side and trees down the left to block those who try to play it safe.

It's not an official major, but you don't get much bigger than The Players Championship on the PGA Tour. And you certainly don't get any bigger when it comes to the purse.

This year's Players Championship features a $6 million purse -- the highest ever for any event -- along with a record $1,080,000 payoff to the winner. It's played on one of the best courses in the country, featuring perhaps the most challenging par-3 on the Tour.

It also comes just two weeks before The Masters. If players weren't serious enough about this event because of the purse and the incredibly strong field, the preparation for the first major is the final element to make The Players Championship spectacular.

Last year's tournament was won by David Duval, who conquered No. 17 on Sunday with a rare birdie to carry him to a two-shot victory over Scott Gump. While other contenders were finding the water or other trouble on the island hole, Duval knocked his drive stiff within six feet, then dropped the birdie putt.

The fact Gump was challenging was not surprising, since this tournament tends to bring out some stellar play from an unknown in recent years. Glen Day first appeared on the fans' radar here, and Len Mattiace took a share of the lead to No. 17 two years ago before an embarrassing 8 knocked him out of contention.

For Duval, victory was sweet since it came in his hometown. It also came on the same day his father won his first Senior Tour event, making it a family affair. The pressure will be on him this year to repeat, since he's gone 51 weeks since his last victory.

The hottest player in the world, Tiger Woods, will also find some pressure at the TPC at Sawgrass. Woods has never shot in the 60s in this tournament, shooting consecutive 75s on the weekend last year to play himself out of contention. He did win a U.S. Amateur title on the course, however.

This event is the final stop on a four-week Florida swing. Next week, the tour heads to Georgia for the BellSouth Classic in Duluth before moving on the Augusta for the chase for the green jacket.

A dozen players to watch
Fred Couples: Couples had a pair of top-five finishes at the end of the West Coast swing and has skipped all of Florida so far. He won this event in 1996 and had a spectacular Sunday last year to finish in a tie for fourth.

David Duval: Only two players finished under par last year, and Duval was one of them. This is his home turf, and this is the event he treasures more than any other except for The Masters. He has four top-10s in seven starts this year.

Steve Flesch: This could be the guy who emerges from a crowd of superstars. Still looking for his first career win, this southpaw has four top-10s this year and has finished no worse than 35th in seven starts.

Jim Furyk: Furyk lives near the course and plays it a dozen times a year, so there should be a little advantage. He won at Doral to start the Florida swing and has top-10 finishes in each of his last three starts.

Tom Lehman: Lehman began the year with a bang with top-10 finishes in his first three tournaments, including a win at Phoenix. He is a pressure player and was runnerup in this event two years ago. His confidence is much higher these days.

Justin Leonard: Like Couples, Leonard has skipped the entire Florida swing so far, but unlike Couples he didn't play particularly well out West. His best finish is a 15th this year, but he did win this event in 1998 with a huge Sunday charge. That was his last victory, however.

Davis Love III: Like Leonard, Love has gone nearly two years since his last win. He finished second last week at Bay Hill, his third top-10 finish this year. He's made all seven cuts he's played this year and won this title in 1992.

Greg Norman: This should be a real test of whether or not Norman is serious about competing again. In his prime, Norman dominated this course like nobody ever has, setting a tournament record at 24-under 264 in 1994. He was 12th at Doral in his only other stroke-play event this year.

Jesper Parnevik: He had five top-10 finishes in six starts on the West Coast swing including a win at the Hope, but his only appearance in Florida ended after 10 holes at Doral when food poisoning struck him down. He clearly has become one of the game's elite players this year.

Hal Sutton: Mr. Consistent always seems to be on the leaderboard these days. He's had four top-10 finishes this year and tied for fourth in this event last year. His iron play is the best in the game.

Mike Weir: A first-time winner last year, Weir is now a consistent contender. He has four top-10 finishes this year, including a tie for seventh last week at Bay Hill.

Tiger Woods: Always the player to beat these days, Woods has finished no worse than 18th over the past 52 weeks on the PGA Tour. In 18 tournaments, he has 10 wins and just two finishes out of the top 10. His win last week at Bay Hill was his third this season in just six starts.